Which term refers to hazards likely to be found in nearly all occupancies, such as housekeeping and electrical?

• A. Incipient
• B. Common
• C. Special
• D. Smoldering

Answer: (B)

Common hazards are those likely to be present in nearly every occupancy. This category covers everyday conditions you’d expect to see in most buildings, such as housekeeping problems (clutter, poor cleanup, improper storage) and basic electrical hazards (overloaded outlets, exposed wiring). The idea is to identify hazards that inspectors encounter broadly, not tied to a specific type of occupancy. Incipient and smoldering refer to fire conditions or stages, not how widespread a hazard is. Special hazards describe risks unique to particular occupancies (for example, high-hazard processes or large quantities of certain materials), which isn’t what these buildings typically present. So the best term for hazards you’d find in almost all occupancies is common.